Transportation of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries
APCS/Cargo Page 1 30/01/2014
Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries.
Guidance on the air transport of Batteries, nickel metal hydride UN 3496
IATA has been contacted by various parties experiencing difficulties shipping and accepting Batteries, nickel metal hydride (UN3496) and equipment containing them by air transport. It would appear there is some confusion regarding the way that UN 3496 has been included in the DGR in 2014 and how this relates to the acceptance of these goods.
BACKGROUND:
UN 3496 was brought into the 55th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) to ensure the list of dangerous goods is "complete" and generally aligned with the UN Model Regulations. This UN Number is only used in sea transport.
TRANSPORT BY AIR:
These batteries may be shipped by air transport. The batteries are considered not restricted once the shipper complies with Special Provision A123. This may involve the freight forwarder correctly indicating the required text on the air waybill, when an air waybill is used. The UN Number “UN 3496” is not a UN Number used in air transport and should not be used in association with the description of the goods.
This is the intention of the provision mentioned in Special Provision A806. We understand there is some confusion with the mention of "forbidden" against the entry UN 3496, but the special provision makes clear that the entry (UN3496 / Forbidden) is only used in sea transport, for air transport, Batteries, nickel metal hydride (UN 3496) are not restricted as per Special Provision A123.
Our intention is to modify the entry for UN 3496 in the next edition of the DGR in order to better clarify how these batteries are regulated for air transport.
You can contact the IATA Dangerous Goods Support team if you have questions or concerns which may not have been addressed in this document: dangood@iata.org.
www.iata.org/dangerousgoods